Intel core i7-2630qm vs i7-2720qm comparison and differences

Intel core i7-2630qm and i7-2720qm are both Sandy Bridge processors. The main difference is the normal operating frequency – while the Intelcore i7-2630qm has nominal core frequency of 2 GHz, thecore i7-2720qm is clocked at 2.2 GHz.

However, there are other subtle differences that makes i7-2720qm better than the more popular core i7-2630qm. Here is a the list of three most important differences.

– The Max core Turbo frequency of the core i7-2630qm is 2.9 GHz while that of the core i7-2720qm is 3.3 GHz

– The max DDR3 frequency rating for the core i7-2630qm is DDR-1333 while the core i7-2720qm can support upto DDR3-1600. Theoretically, it will mean a through put of 25.6 GB/s in Core i7-2720qm as compared to 21.3 GB/s in core i7-2630qm.

– The other notable improvement in the core i7-2720qm comes in the form of the turbo frequency of the graphics section. While both the processors have base graphics clock frequency of 650 MHz, the core i7-2720qm has better 1.3 GHz turbo core frequency, as compared to 1.1 GHz for core i7-2630qm.

You with 200 MHz or 10% increase in the processor core frequency, you may expect an improvement of the order of 7 to 10% in the core i7-2720qm. The improvement may be more marked if the DDR1600 is used in conjunction with the the 2720qm.

For regular users, Virtualization may become more appealing now with memories up to 16GB becoming affordable; e.g. http://www.mysn.de Schenker-Notebook > XMG P501 has 4 SODIMM slots, with 4GB sticks at 50 EUR a piece, or $290 for the 16GB.

For such users, VT-d (with Windows 7 Professional and XP Mode) should make Virtualization easier and more reliable (no more need to worry about graphic card or other peripherals).

Now this is the theoretical POV from MS and Intel. I never used Virtualization. Anyone who has, could you tell us at which point VT-d is necessary or useful? TIA,